


be careful.

by Prettything_uglylie



Series: fictober 2019 [14]
Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Richie runs into Freeze's instead of the park, and The Bowers Gang chases him, homophobic behaviour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-27 10:10:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21390439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prettything_uglylie/pseuds/Prettything_uglylie
Summary: Fictoberrrrrrrrrrrr
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Henry Bowers/Victor Criss, Richie Tozier & Victor Criss
Series: fictober 2019 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1506824
Comments: 11
Kudos: 41





	be careful.

**Author's Note:**

> Fictoberrrrrrrrrrrr

He's running for his goddamn life with tears blurring his vision and Richie Tozier is blinder than he has ever been. 

Richie's coke bottle lens usually provides at least the closure of being able to see but from behind the lake of tears brimming his vision, he is robbed of that comfort. He can't see and he can't fucking - fuck, he can't fucking breathe. 

For a moment, he thinks that Henry may have given up his chase, may not have even given chase but then he hears the hungry snarl of Bowers' words, "Tozier, you little faggot! Gonna kick your dick into your fucking throat!" 

And usually Richie could laugh at that, could mock the threat, but here, here he is alone and - and - 

fuck, Richie, how could you be so stupid? The voice is Eddie's and Richie pictures his alluring eyes in an attempt to calm his breathing: the ring of caramel flecking through his otherwise hazelnut brown eyes, how sometimes they turn whiskey brown in the sunlight or how they fill with manic mischief when Richie suggests something not too dumb. 

The sign of Freeze's department store is in his immediate view when he hears Bowers shout, "Where'd the fag go?"

The decision to hide in the store is almost made for him and he supposes that if he were calmer, he could just go talk to the cashier for safety but he is shaking all over and he is certain that tears are streaming down so he books it for an aisle, for the clothes rack and wants to find purchase in the enclosed metal that he hides under.

Hands cupped tightly over his mouth to stop him from saying anything or breathing too loudly but he almost whimpers when he hears Bowers' heavy boots closer than he has ever wanted to hear the older boy be but some clarity comes when he hears the boy also murmur, "Where's that little butt-bitch?" 

And he breathes a little easier. Bowers doesn't know where he is, he won't get his teeth kicked down into his groin, he won't...he won't die here, after flirting (god, was he even flirting? sure, he was definitely interested but to the point of flirting shamelessly? no, god no -) with Henry Bowers' cousin but - 

But then, the air catches in his throat again because - because Victor Criss's emotionless brown eyes are caught in Richie's own that he had peaked through a few jackets to be able to see Bowers. 

Where Bowers is scanning forwards, Belch Huggins' eyes are moving as they watch Henry nervously and Vic's flick to Henry but - but something is sad about his cold eyes. Richie is a little less nervous but his heart's palpitations are still an edge too fast. 

Vic suddenly pretends to be panting under Belch's heavy pants until he bitches out, "I swear to God, Hen, he didn't actually run in here!"

Bowers growls and Richie feels strange, hearing Bowers referred to as something as soft as 'Hen' but then Henry rasps, "Then where'd the little cocksucker go, Vic?" 

"Can you really call him that?" Vic snarks nasally, "I've sucked your cock." 

Henry chokes but barks back at him, "Shut up!" 

Richie hides a chuckle, but he is also surprised that Henry likes or will fuck guys but then Vic says as though realizing something, "Tozier went out the back." 

Henry pecks up like he gets a literal boner every time he knows he gets to beat someone up but just as Henry perks up and gestures for them to run out, Vic says, "I have to piss. I'll find you." 

Henry shrugs, obviously still ticked at Vic backtalking him and he and Belch run off but the blonde stalks towards him and Richie doesn't know how he restrains from crying. 

His hand curls in the collar and drags him out of the rack before he murmurs, "Stop." 

He's only ever had a "talk" he guesses around Henry because he doesn't think he's ever heard Vic just...talk. Vic's voice is a strange mix of quiet and angry but it sounds of a shaky-anger, a wave of internal anger and he murmurs, "You have to be careful." 

He had never just how quiet Vic is until this moment, how without Henry, he murmurs. He's stopped dead in his tracks by it, by the quiet sound and Victor takes this as him not understanding, choosing to shake him by the collar, "Are you listening, Tozier?" 

"Ye-yes." He chokes out, the stutter sounding not entirely unlike Bill and Vic looks so worried in his eyes and the last words Richie remembers him saying was, 

"Good...because otherwise, Hen _will_ kill you. Be careful."

A boy who likes boys is a dead boy. 

* * *

27 years later, Mike tells them of all the dead kids from that summer to the most recent day. Mike is indifferent when he mentions, "Victor Criss and Reginald Huggins had their throats slit by Henry." 

Richie swallows, feels confused when he blinks away tears from his eyes and when he gets in his car after the Jade of the Orient dinner, he is surprised to find he isn't only grieving Stan. He murmurs, starting the car, 

"God, Vic, be careful." 

After all, a boy who likes boys is a dead boy. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! Kudos and comments keep me going!


End file.
